Satellite Meteorology

For Grade 7-12

Overview

Get ready to do a virtual shift, a fun way to use computer software to look at the
same cloud from below and above. But first, let's review some common cloud classifications.
Clouds are given Latin names corresponding to their appearance and height. Meteorologists
further differentiate clouds according to whether they are producing precipitation
or not. Naturally these same features make a big difference as to how a satellite “sees” a
cloud. Knowing just a little about how a cloud is formed and the likely particle composition
in a cloud can translate into a lot of information gleaned from common satellite images.

Common Cloud Types

Cloud Level

Prefix/
Suffix

Typical Altitudes

Layer Clouds

Heap Clouds

Hybrid

High

"Cirro-"

20,000 - 40,000 feet(6-12 kilometers)

CirrusCirrostratus

Cirrocumulus

Mid

"Alto-"

6500 - 20,000 feet(2-6 kilometers)

Altostratus

Altocumulus

Low

100 - 6500 feet(bases below 2 km)

Stratus

Cumulus

Stratocumulus

Precipitating

"Nimbo-"
"-nimbus"

100 - 6,500 feet(bases below 2 km)

Nimbostratus

Cumulusnimbus (Thunderstorms!)

Significant Vertical Development

100 - 50,500 feet(0.1-15 kilometers)

In this module, you will learn (with lots of fun applets !!):

Ten common cloud types and how they are formed

How to identify different cloud types on satellite images

Previous Module

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If you have questions about this course, please contact Margaret
Mooney, CIMSS/SSEC Earth Science Outreach Specialist.

This Satellite Meteorology Course was developed at the Cooperative Institute
for Meteorological Satellite Studies (CIMSS)
located within the Space Science and Engineering Center (SSEC)
at the UW-Madison. Funding was provided
by the Wisconsin Space Grant Consortium (WSGC)
and NOAA/NESDIS.